| Does your hotel offer meeting and/or conference | | | | commissioning grows every month. |
| space? Have you noticed a trend in the RFP's you | | | | It has been through such collaborations that some hotel |
| receive from groups, asking about your "green" or | | | | brands are now "pre-certifying" a few of their |
| "sustainable" initiatives? All signs are pointing in the | | | | prototypes. For example, Marriott has launched such a |
| direction of a widespread increase in this trend. | | | | prototype for their Courtyard Hotels. By taking |
| Even with the current recession, business meetings in | | | | advantage of "volume certification" or "portfolio |
| the United States alone constitute an amazing $175 | | | | certification", Marriott may be able to save property |
| billion industry, and Americans make more than 400 | | | | owners approximately $100,000 in design and other |
| million long-distance business trips each year. Don't let | | | | costs, and about six months in design time. More |
| your hotel miss an opportunity to garner its share of | | | | prototype brands are expected to follow. |
| group business. | | | | As Michael Kawecki, LEED AP, GA and owner of |
| Despite a global recession, investment levels in energy | | | | Axiom Sustainable Consulting, LLC states, "with volume |
| efficiency have remained strong, according to the | | | | certification, each credit is documented based on |
| Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) released June 3, 2010 | | | | regions, and then further documentation is provided |
| by Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI). As stated in this | | | | during construction. For example, rather than energy |
| report, the primary motivation driving sustainable | | | | modeling each store, a prototype is modeled in each |
| investments is cost savings, with 97% of respondents | | | | climate area, and then that model is good for all future |
| identifying it as significant. Or, as stated by Dennis | | | | stores." It is obvious how this type of certification could |
| Quaintance, CEO of Proximity Hotels (the first platinum | | | | save a significant amount of work for hotel owners, |
| LEED certified hotel), "It ain't sustainable to go broke." | | | | and flow into their group meeting venues. |
| What is a "Green Meeting"? | | | | Hyatt Hotels is also making numerous green initiatives. |
| The Convention Industry Council (CIC) presented this | | | | Jim Milkovich, corporate vice president of purchasing |
| definition: "A green meeting or event incorporates | | | | for Hyatt Hotels Corp. explains that Hyatt has won |
| environmental considerations to minimize its negative | | | | group business to its convention hotels in part because |
| impact on the environment." There are almost a | | | | of its green initiatives. In an interview with Beth |
| limitless number of ways to green a meeting - and | | | | Kormanik of Buyer Interactive, Milkovich states, "If you |
| many of these offer opportunities to save money and | | | | can show a meeting planner how you are reducing, |
| increase efficiency. | | | | recycling and reusing products throughout the hotel and |
| Event planners will look at numerous aspects of your | | | | how your associates are engaged in the process - it's |
| hotel's efforts toward sustainability, including such areas | | | | not something you're doing for this meeting, but it's in |
| as: | | | | your culture - that is what is really evident to those |
| · Food and Beverage: Do you maximize the use of | | | | meeting planners." |
| reusable, rather than disposable glassware, flatware, | | | | A terrific example of how a hotel has monetized and |
| tablecloths, etc? | | | | calculates an ROI for their green meetings is the |
| · Registration and Exhibitions: Do you use electronic | | | | Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. As |
| communication over paper as often as possible? Do | | | | Herve′ Houdre′, GM of the Willard |
| you encourage exhibitors to do the same? | | | | InterContinental states in HotelNewsNow.com, "The |
| · Location: Do you offer shuttle service or mass | | | | hotel carefully tracks its individual and guestroom |
| transit? Are areas of interest and entertainment | | | | bookings that result directly from its sustainable |
| nearby in order to decrease vehicle emissions? | | | | practices. I gave myself and my team a goal to |
| · Do you have an energy and water use | | | | generate $1 million in extra revenue (in 2009) due toour |
| conservation program currently in place? | | | | sustainable development strategy. Guests are |
| Why are Green Meetings becoming more Prevalent? | | | | impressed with the development strategy because |
| There are many reasons that this green trend is | | | | they believe the strategy corresponds with their own |
| growing exponentially across the globe. Consumers | | | | culture." |
| and businesses are becoming much more aware of | | | | Keep in mind that prospective clients won't know what |
| their "carbon footprint" and as more companies feel | | | | your hotel is doing to limit its impact on the environment |
| the pressure to create sustainability goals, they | | | | if you don't tell them. "Don't be shy," advises hotel |
| increasingly are asking their employees to stay in | | | | consultant Daniel Edward Craig. "Advertise your green |
| green-certified hotels. Companies that are closely | | | | initiatives on your website and in sales kits, proposals, |
| scrutinized by the public sector (government agencies, | | | | your in-room directory and social media activities. |
| for example) do not want to present a mixed | | | | Meeting planners and travelers want to know." |
| message to the public - stating they want to help the | | | | What is the Future of Green Meetings for Hoteliers? |
| planet, but ignoring a hotel's approach to sustainability | | | | The landscape is changing quickly. In the United States, |
| when planning for a company meeting. According to | | | | the meetings industry is working closely with the |
| the Environmental Protection Agency, an amazing | | | | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a |
| 93,000 federal employees are traveling on any given | | | | green meeting industry standard. With such standards, |
| business day to 8,000 locations across the country. | | | | hotels will have common goals to reach to win group |
| Federal travelers alone use 24 million room nights of | | | | or convention business. Because the EPA is a |
| hotel space in the United States annually. Now add to | | | | government-based organization, and the green |
| this number businesses both large and small who are | | | | meeting planning associations are not, such joint efforts |
| making efforts toward sustainability, and the totals can | | | | are rare and cannot be ignored. |
| be staggering. | | | | What Groups Can Help My Hotel With Green Meeting |
| Are Green Meetings an Example of "Greenwashing"? | | | | Initiatives? |
| When a product or building (such as a hotel) extols its | | | | There are a growing number of organizations eager to |
| virtues of being "green", but does so in a misleading or | | | | help hoteliers with sustainability and green meeting |
| exaggerated way, it is described as "greenwashing". | | | | initiatives. The following limited list does not address the |
| That can be a difficult label to shed, as guests and/or | | | | numerous and qualified private enterprise consultants: |
| groups may feel as though they've been misled, or | | | | Green Meeting Industry Council: o |
| worse. Many green standards are in their infancy and | | | | Meeting Professionals International (MPI): |
| thus still ill-defined.. There is no need to try to fool | | | | International Association of Convention and Visitors |
| meeting and event planners, as many of them are | | | | Bureaus (IACVB): |
| looking for some effort toward sustainability, and will be | | | | The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible |
| happy with the progress you've made so far and the | | | | Economies (CERES) - Green Hotel Initiative: |
| goals you have set. Much like social media, it is | | | | 617.247.0700 X 21 |
| important to be transparent. | | | | "Green" Hotels Association: |
| Green meetings can have a tremendous impact on | | | | NW Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) - |
| our environment. Most hotels purchase more products | | | | Hospitality Sector |
| in one week than 100 families typically purchase in a | | | | Green Seal - Environmental Standard for Lodging |
| year. By initiating green goals such as recycling, | | | | Properties |
| reducing and reusing, you can feel good that you are | | | | Hotel Association of Canada - Green Leaf Eco-Rating |
| helping the environment in a big way, helping your | | | | Program |
| revenue stream, and reducing many of your operating | | | | U.S. Green Building Council |
| costs. | | | | Is there a cost to "going green" for your hotel and |
| Who Supports Green Meetings? | | | | group or conference meetings? Yes. Is there a larger |
| Depending on where your hotel(s) are located on the | | | | cost involved in ignoring the trend? Absolutely. Don't |
| globe, various government, for-profit and non-profit | | | | allow your hotel to languish in meeting sales. Get |
| organizations are jumping in to assist and encourage | | | | educated on "green", and pencil out the numbers. Or let |
| hoteliers to go green. There is a plethora of information | | | | an expert guide you. You will be surprised and |
| available to help you (some excellent web-sites are | | | | delighted to learn - |
| posted for you at the bottom of this publication), and | | | | Green is for Go. |
| the number of green experts available for consulting or | | | | |